Blank feeding mechanism for cone cup machines



Dec. 2

R. EEEEEEEEEEEE ER 2,988,968

NG MECHANISM FOR CONE cu MACHIN 4, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l x I\ x 4 June 1961 R. E. BODENDOERFER 2,988,968

BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CONE CUP MACHINES Filed Dec. 24, 1958 SSheetsSheet 2 III/5,Z

INVENTOR. ,Q E. Boos-#0052515? ATTORNEY! June 20, 1961 R. E. BODENDOERFER 2,988,968

BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR coma CUP MACHINES Filed Dec. 24, 958

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 2E fioos/vooszmse ATTOE/VEYJ United States Patent Filed Dec. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 782,713 6 Claims. (Cl. 93-363),

1 This invention relates generally to conical cup-making machines and more particularly to an improved feeding means for guiding a blank having a freshly-glued portion into the gripping means of a forming mandrel.

In conical cup-making machines of the general nature to which this invention pertains, the blank is gripped by the conical mandrel when the latter is stationary, and then wound therearound as the mandrel is rotated.

Closely-spaced feed plates have been used in the past for precisely guiding the blank therebetween and into the gripper of the mandrel. Due to the conical shape of the mandrel, as it rotates and begins to pull the blank from the feed plates, the blank is rotated across, that is, twisted relative to the feed plates. Glue is applied to certain areas on the blank prior to its passing through the feed plates, and the twisting action of the blank relative to the feed plates, due to this twisting action of the mandrel on the blank, causes the glue to be wiped along one of the plates and accumulate thereon. The resulting build-up of glue on one of the feed plates eventually causes sticking and jamming of the blank feeding mechamsm.

Another difiiculty encountered in the use of two closelyspaced feed plates arises because they offer considerable resistance to movement of the blank therethrough, which resistance often causes the mandrel gripper to lose its hold on the blank as the mandrel begins to rotate. Stated otherwise, the feed plates must be close enough together to insure precise feeding of the blank edge up to and into the relatively small and narrow opening in the mandrel gripper, and on the other hand, the feed plates cannot be so close together to create too much resistance to pulling movement of the blank therethrough by the gripper.

In an attempt to overcome the above-mentioned difiiculties, certain prior art attempts have utilized means for swinging one of the feed plates out of its blanksupporting position at the moment the blank is engaged by the mandrel gripper. In this manner, there is no resistance to blank movement, nor does the glued portion of the blank any longer contact the moved feed plate with the undesirable twisting and wiping action.

However, these prior art devices, as exemplified by the Merta Patent No. 2,321,407 issued June 8, 1943, are also objectionable in that a considerable amount of costly mechanism is required to swing the feed plate out of the way in timed relationship with other moving parts of the machine. As well as being costly, this additional 'mechanism is always subject to malfunctioning and maintenance.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention has provided an improved and relatively simple mechanism for precisely feeding conical cup blanks to the gripper mechanism of a conical mandrel, which mechanism presents the accumulation of glue therein and does not offer any appreciable resistance to pulling movement of the mandrel on the blank. As a result, an economicallyproduced and trouble-free feed mechanism is provided .whichis also highly efficient in operation.

j A more specific aspect of the invention contemplates that an arcuate brush smoothing means acts against the blank as it is being wound on the mandrel, and means having a smooth member for reducing and delaying the 2,988,988 Patented June 20, 1961 drag of the brush on the blank and consequent twisting of the blank out of its proper position in the mandrel gripper.

These and other objects and advantages will appear later as this disclosure progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a conical cup machine and showing the feeding mechanism made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1, but on a smaller scale and with certain parts being broken away, removed or in section for clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of a portion of the machine in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of the web of stock material and showing the shape of a finished blank cut therefrom and how it is gripped by the mandrel;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 5--5 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view, partially in section and with parts broken away or removed for clarity.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, the turret head 10 is mounted for intermittent rotation for moving the cup-forming mandrels 11 from one station to the next where successive operations are performed on the cups being formed. The mandrels include a gripper 12 which is formed as a segment of the cone-shaped mandrel at a distance spaced from the rounded end thereof. This gripper is shiftable between a position beyond the pe riphery of the cone where it forms an inlet opening 13, and a retracted position flush with the mandrel periphery and in which it grips the corner 14 of the blank B. As the turret rotates, the mandrels are also each rotated relative to the turret to cause the blank held by the gripper to be tightly wound around the mandrel into a cup. As the blank is being wound about the rotating mandrel when the latter is rotated bodily by the turret, the arcuate-shaped brush members 16 press firmly against the blank to cause it to be wound tightly on the mandrel and smoothed into conical shape. The brushes are preferably of nylon and are rigidly secured in place by the adjustable bolt means 17 which extend through the arcuate support frame 18.

A carriage 19 is reciprocal on rods 20 and carries a conical anvil 21 which is slid over the cup on the mandrel at one station to press the wound layers of the cup tightly together to form a good glued joint and also to blunt the sharp end of the cup into a round shape. This anvil also includes a bead-forming rim 22 which cooperates with a complementary bead-forming member 23 to thereby roll a bead on the edge of the cup. Member 23 is shifted toward rim 22 by its yoke arm 24 pivotally mounted on the turret 10.

After the cup is thus pressed together and formed with a beaded edge, it is grasped at the next station by the flexible fingers 25 of the stacking tube 26, the latter of which is also reciprocable with the carriage.

The web W of paper is fed to the machine over a roller 28 after which a glue roller 29 applies a predetermined pattern of glue 30' along one side of the web. The web then passes over rollers 31 and 32, between rollers 33 and 34, and through the cylindrical knife roller 35 and back up roller 36. After the knife roller 35 has cut the web into blanks, the latter are grasped by the feed rolls 37, 38 and positively parted from the remaining web.

The feed rolls 37, 38 act to feed the blanks between a pair of horizontally disposed feed plates 40 and 41. A portion of the feed rolls 37 and 38 are cut away as at 42 to provide a space therebetween through which the strip of glued area 30 passes unobstructed and without a contacting the feed rolls. The upper roll 37 is springloaded by a spring '43 (only one shown) at each end thereof which act to bias this roll against the driven lower roll 38.

The rolls 33-38 are drivingly connected together at their outer ends through their respective intermeshing gears, as shown in FIGURE 2.

The leading edge of the upper feed plate is turned upwardly to facilitate the entry of the blank into the space between the plates. The discharge edge 44 of the upper plate lies closely adjacent and parallel to the mandrel side, and is also generally in parallelism and closely adjacent to the lower outer edge of the lower brush 16.

A relatively smooth member in the form of a sheet metal angle 46 is fastened to the upper side of the upper feed edge and extends upwardly therefrom and in alignment with the discharge edge 44 of this plate. This metal angle lies along the smoothing surface of the lower brush 16 and acts to reduce and delay the wiping action of this brush on the blank until the latter has been partially wound around the mandrel and the mandrel has been bodily rotated a distance upwardly. Stated otherwise, the member 46 acts to reduce the frictional resistance of the brush and permit the blank to more easily slide past the brush. This prevents the lower edge of the brush, and particularly the rear end against which the largest diameter and fastest part of the mandrel is wiped, from twisting the blank from the gripper or misaligning the blank in relation to the mandrel.

The feed plates are secured at one of their sides to the machine frame by means of screws 45.

The leading or entry edge of the lower feed plate lies closely adjacent to the feed rolls 3'7, 38 and receives the blank as it is forced from the feed rolls. The lower feed plate is smaller than the upper plate and has a cutaway portion as defined by the arcuate edge 48. The lower plate is thus cut away at that side over which the glued area 30 passes. Moreover, the shape of the lower feed plate is such that this glue area does not contact the lower plate as the blank is twisted relative thereto, that is, given a rotational movement over the surface of the lower plate. This twisting movement of the blank, relative to the feed plate, occurs because the larger rear end of the mandrel has a higher peripheral speed than its front end portion, and as the winding action of the blank commences, the rear part of the blank moves the fastest and pulls the blank therearound with a twisting movement as indicated by the arrow in. FIGURE 4. The curved edge 48 of the lower plate defines a cut-away portion generally co-extensive with the path of movement of the glued area and over which this glued area passes into the mandrel. In this manner, the glue does not have an opportunity to be wiped off the blank and onto the lower plate where it would otherwise accumulate to cause jamming of the blanks at this location.

In reference to FIGURE 3, the discharge end 50 of the lower blank is spaced at considerable distance from the mandrel as compared to the discharge edge of the upper plate. As a result of the shape and distance of the lower plate from the mandrel, the trailing end of the blank is free to drop somewhat after the blank has been wound about the mandrel to a certain extent and this freeing of the trailing edge insures that the blank is not pulled from the mandrel gripper.

It is necessary, however, to guide both the upper and lower sides of the blank into the inlet opening 13 formed by the open gripper, and this guiding should be continued right up to the location where the blank enters the gripper opening. The upper plate performs this function for the upper side of the blank, but the lower plate has been cut away to no longer be able to perform this function.

For the purpose of guiding the lower side of the blank into the gripper in that area of the lower plate that has r 4 7 been cut away, a supporting means has been provided which presents a very small supporting area to the blank and one which will not collect glue thereon. This supporting means takes the form of a stiff rod 54, the end of which is spaced slightly from the upper plate, thus providing a clearance approximately equal to the space between the feed plates. The free end of the rod is located closely adjacent the tip of the mandrel, guides the blank into the gripper, and yet does not wipe glue off the blank as the latter passes thereover.

The lower end of this guide rod 54 is secured in the stub shaft 55 which extends from and is secured to the machine frame.

By means of the present invention, the blank is precisely guided into the gripper opening, and at the same time, the trailing edge of the blank is freed after a portion of the blank has been wound on the mandrel to thereby reduce the resistance to feeding of the blank. The auxiliary supporting means 54 for the lower surface of the blank prevents glue build-up and permits free twisting action of the blank through the spaced feed guides. The smooth guide 46 along the surface of the smoothing brush acts to reduce and delay the resistance of the brush on the blank until the mandrel has both rotated and moved bodily in commencing the formation of a cup. Nevertheless, the lower edge of the brush and guide 46 act to hold the blank close to the rotating mandrel to insure wrapping. In this manner, a balanced feed condition exists wherein accurate positioning and positive gripping of the blank in the gripper is assured, as is the proper amount of wrapping action of the blank on the mandrel.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. In a conical cup-making machine, a rotatable cupforming mandrel including a blank gripper, feeding means for feeding a blank containing a glue area to said gripper, said mandrel being rotated after a blank is gripped to cause said blank glue area to be pulled with a twisting motion from said feeding means, said feeding means including a fixed feed support having a discharge end located adjacent said gripper, a Second fixed feed support generally parallel to the first said support and closely adjacent thereto, said second support having a cut-away portion generally coextensive with the path of twisting movement of said glue area while in said feeding means, and a member opposed to said first support and forming a small area of contact for guiding said glue area.

2. In a conical cup-making machine, a rotatable cupforrning mandrel including a blank gripper, feeding means for feeding a blank containing a glue area to said gripper, said mandrel being rotated after a blank is gripped to cause said blank glue area to be pulled with a twisting motion from said feeding means, said feeding means including a fixed feed plate having its discharge end located adjacent said gripper, a second fixed feed plate parallel to the first said plate and closely adjacent thereto, said second plate having a cut-away portion generally coextensive with the path of twisting movement of said glue area in said feeding means, and a member forming a small supporting area of contact for said glue area and located adjacent said discharge end of the first said plate.

3. In a conical cup-making machine, a rotatable cupforming mandrel including a blank gripper, feeding means for feeding a blank containing a glue area to said gripper, said mandrel being rotated after a blank is gripped to cause said blank glue area to be pulled with a twisting motion from said feeding means, said feeding means including a fixed upper feed plate having its discharge end located adjacent said gripper, a fixed lower feed plate glue area when in said feeding means, and a rod extending upwardly and having an upper end located adjacentsaid discharge end of said upper plate to thereby support said blank glue area as the latter is pulled with said twisting motion.

4. A conical cup-making machine of the type having a rotatable turret and a series of rotatable cup-forming conical mandrels including a blank gripper adjacent their apex, feeding means for feeding a blank containing a glue area to said gripper, said mandrel being rotated after a blank is gripped to cause said blank glue area to be pulled with a twisting motion from said feeding means, said feeding means including a fixed feed plate having its discharge edge located adjacent and parallel to one side of said mandrel, a second fixed feed plate parallel to the first said plate and closely adjacent thereto, said second plate having a cut-away portion generally coextensive with the path of twisting movement of said glue area in said feeding means, and a member opposed to said first feed plate and forming a small supporting area of contact for said glue area and located closely adjacent said mandrel apex and said discharge edge.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 including, a smoothing brush against which said mandrels rotate, said brush having a lower edge adjacent and generally parallel to said discharge edge, and drag-reducing means adjacent said brush and against which a blank travels as it commences being wound around a mandrel.

6. A conical cup-making machine having a rotatable turret carrying rotatable conical mandrels each including a blank gripper adjacent their apex, feeding means for successively feeding a blank containing a glue portion to said grippers, said mandrels being rotated after a blank is gripped to cause said glue portion to be pulled with a twisting movement from said feeding means, said feeding means including a fixed upper feed plate having its discharge end located closely adjacent one of said mandrels and generally parallel to the side thereof, -a fixed lower feed plate parallel to said upper plate and closely adjacent thereto, said lower plate having its discharge edge spaced from both said mandrel and said upper plate edge, said lower plate also being cut away over an area generally coextensive with the path of said twisting movement of said glue portion, and a member extending upwardly and terminating opposite said upper plate and forming a small supporting area of contact for said glue portion and located closely adjacent a mandrel apex and said upper plate discharge edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,203,515 Barbieri June 4, 1940 2,321,407 Merta June 8, 1943 2,863,368 Thiem Dec. 9, 1958 2,894,434 Belton et al. July 14, 1959 

